David Lammy must go: Britain deserves better than chaos and contempt from its Justice Secretary, writes James Hanson

As Foreign Secretary, he oversaw the disastrous Chagos Islands deal, in which the UK handed over sovereign territory and was forced to pay for the privilege. Demoted in Sir Keir Starmer’s recent reshuffle, his bumbling buffoonery is now unleashed on the Ministry of Justice.

Today marks his two-month anniversary in the post, during which time not one, but two foreign criminals have been accidentally released from British prisons.

First Hadush Kebatu, the paedophile asylum seeker whose sexual assault of a 14 year-old girl triggered this summer’s protests outside The Bell hotel in Epping.

He was mistakenly freed last month from HMP Chelmsford, instead of being deported, prompting a two-day manhunt.

And now we learn that, just five days later, the same thing happened again with another foreign criminal. This time a 24 year-old Algerian man, also locked up for sexual offences, mistakenly released from HMP Wandsworth.

Cue yet another manhunt (remember - Wandsworth was the prison from which Daniel Khalife escaped in 2023) and yet more humiliation for the authorities. It would be laughable if it weren’t so serious.

David Lammy is, of course, not wholly responsible for the crisis in our prisons and probation service. He is right to accuse the Conservatives of leaving a broken system and turning things around will take time.

But his behaviour since taking on the brief (and the honorary Deputy Prime Minister title) suggests he is a man incapable of taking personal responsibility. I’ve got a few basic questions for Mr Lammy - not that I’m holding out hope of any answers.

Firstly, given the spectacular embarrassment and risk to public safety of the Kebatu case, why didn’t Mr Lammy demand to be personally notified of any and every accidental prisoner release from that point on?

Secondly, when questioned by the Shadow Defence Secretary, James Cartlidge, why did Mr Lammy adopt a tone of righteous indignation instead of addressing the most serious of issues with the respect it deserved?

Thirdly, given it has now transpired Mr Lammy was aware of this latest release after all, why did he not say as much, instead of choosing to evade giving a straight answer?

Fourthly, why has Mr Lammy refused to return to the Commons today - before parliamentary recess begins - to update MPs, especially given the clear public safety implications?

And lastly, why - when updating MPs recently on the accidental release of Kebatu - was he caught on camera laughing in the chamber? What exactly does he find so amusing about the release of sex offenders onto the streets of Britain?

It may seem trivial by comparison, but it’s also worth noting the Justice Secretary began PMQs without a poppy - just four days from Remembrance Sunday.

By the end of the session he was miraculously wearing one - reportedly borrowed from the Labour backbencher Calvin Bailey, who previously served in the RAF.

So our Deputy Prime Minister forgot to wear a poppy and then nabbed one from a veteran? You really couldn’t make it up.

All of this suggests a man who is entirely unfit to hold high office. Mr Lammy’s track record in successive government posts is woeful, his elevation to Sir Keir Starmer’s deputy is absurd, and his evasion of public accountability shames this government.

Heads should roll over this latest prisons debacle, not least in the prison service, but David Lammy’s should be first among them.

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Listen to James Hanson on LBC on Sunday mornings between 4-7am.

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